This is a traditional Spanish recipe for a Christmas Eve dish, but it works just as well for a non-turkey Christmas day dish. Just add an extra partridge for every two additional people you have. The re-legged partridge is the native partridge of Iberia, as opposed to the grey or English partridge. It would be the typical bird used for this dish and is readily available. However, British partridges can be used as a substitute.
Prep time 20 minutes/Cook time: 80 minutes/Serves: 4
Ingredients:
4 red leg partridges
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 large carrots, cut in julienne
2 celery sticks, diced
1 large onion, finely sliced
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
6 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp dry white wine
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
700ml light chicken stock
8 dried apricots
12 prunes, stoned and halved
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Trim the wing tips and season the birds with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the birds for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden all over. Take the birds out of the pan and set aside.
Add the garlic to the frying pan and sauté for a minute before adding the carrots, celery and onion. Sauté the vegetables until they are soft but not brown, which will take 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the peppercorns, star anise, bay leaf and cinnamon. Then pour in the sherry vinegar and wine. Pace over medium heat and reduce the liquid by half. Now add the stock and bring to a boil, removing any scum as it rises.
Return the birds to the the pan; when it comes to the boil add the fruit. Then boil the birds on a low to medium heat for 60 minutes or until they’re tender.
